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Batgirl (Volume 4) Issue 16
Synopsis "Collision Part Three: Ceremony" Four years ago, Barbara Gordon had been pressured by her father to see Dr. Andrea Latemendi, a clinical psychologist. This was to help deal with her feelings since she was shot in the spine by the Joker. Barbara was dismissive, refusing to be open about her emotions. She did, however, describe a dream she had been having often. In the dream, she would wring the Joker's neck until he was dead. Whether it was a good dream or not depended on how guilty she felt about it. Often she would wake up in tears because the dream wasn't real. Now, after years of rehabilitation and training, Barbara is Batgirl again, and the Joker is back. Having already put her father in the hospital, he kidnapped her mother, cut off her finger, and tied her to a chair attached to a five-pound nail bomb. What's most perplexing, though, is that despite having taken all that she thought he could take from her, he chose to ask her to marry him. In the church, surrounded by armed thugs, Joker explains that she and the other bat-children are a drag on Batman that he intends to free him of. Batgirl will be his leverage to free him of the spin-offs, but in order to make sure that she doesn't try to leave him, he intends to cut off her arms and legs with a chainsaw. Unsure of how to act, knowing that if she tries to escape, she would certainly be shot. Though she might make it out alive, her mother certainly would not. So, she decides to fight, and take as many thugs with her as she can. As soon as she leaps into action, a voice calls for them all to stop. James Gordon, Jr., Barbara's brother, stands in the door of the church, carrying two live grenades. He comes with a message: he saved their mother at the skating rink. There is nothing more at stake than Barbara's own life. Hearing this, Batgirl launches herself at the Joker, prepared to be ruthless in her attacks. Facing his thugs, she breaks arms and noses, beating each into submission to the point that even the priest seems more terrified of her than the Joker. Facing the Joker again, Batgirl decides to throw caution to the wind. She will kill him there, with his own chainsaw, if she can. Her conscience is silent as she wrestles with him for the weapon. Suddenly, though, James, Jr.'s hand covers her mouth and nose, forcing her to inhale a drug that knocks her unconscious. James, Jr. had made a deal with the Joker that the madman should let his mother go free, or else he would kill Batgirl himself, and ruin the Joker's plan. He ensures his own safety again, by pulling the pin on another grenade, and dropping it at the Joker's feet. In the resulting explosion, James, Jr. makes his escape. Barbara, though, wakes to see the Joker dressed in a fine suit, and regretfully announcing that he will have to call an end to their engagement. In his hands he holds an entree platter, and grinning, he teases that she will never guess what hides under the lid. Appearances "Collision Part Three: Ceremony" Individuals *Batgirl *Andrea Latemendi *The Joker *Lefty *James Gordon Jr. *Alysia Yeoh Locations *Gotham City **Joker's Church Items *Batarang Links *http://www.dccomics.com/comics/batgirl-2011/batgirl-16 *http://dc.wikia.com/wiki/Batgirl_Vol_4_16 *http://www.comicvine.com/batgirl-collision-part-three-ceremony/37-380318/ Batgirl (Volume 4) Issue 16